Draft Fulbourn Village Design Guide SPD

On behalf of Homes England, Savills Planning Team have reviewed the draft Fulbourn Village Design Guide and consider that there is merit in referencing in more detail the outline planning permission that is due to be issued very shortly in respect of the Ida Darwin Hospital site. The Ida Darwin Hospital is referred to under the bullet points on page 8 of the Guide and states that along with the Fulbourn Hospital site, the Ida Darwin site has 'kept low heights and scant night lighting' - something that has already be diminished with more recent development on the Fulbourn Hospital site and is essential to re-estab lish and preserve for the future'.

Such a statement whilst possibly representing the current situation, is not going to be reflective of the future having regard to residential development proposals that will ultimately come forward on the Ida Darwin site. There is no doubt that the landscape will change as a result of the policies within the Adopted Plan which identify the Ida Darwin site for new development, the outline planning permission that is due to be issued very shortly and of course the detailed housing proposals that will come forward following the grant of the outline planning permission. To suggest that low density development and scant night lighting will remain in respect of the Ida Darwin site is misleading in such circumstances and we suggest this section be re-written to reflect the current situation and the impending development

The Council will also be aware that as part of any issuing of any outline planning permission, there will be a number of approved plans which will accompany that permission and these will include approved parameter plans that identify the development areas, land uses and density and height parameters. Alongside the description and the outline planning permission, these parameter plans set a template for future development and in such a context , the Village Design Statement should appropriately acknowledge this position.